Change
by kw160
Summary: Who knew a single piece of paper could make such a huge impact? Follow Nikki and Jack as they navigate new and unexpected territory that nobody could have predicted coming.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Do we have to go in?" sighed Nikki.

"I think you know the answer to that one" said Jack, matter of factly, taking another sip of his coffee.

They sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes, watching the world outside the Lyell Centre go by, until their silent sanctuary was broken by Jack opening the door and getting out of the car. Nikki lent her head back against the headrest until she felt the outside air hit her face.

"Come on" encouraged Jack, offering her his hand to help her out of the car, before they both walked hand in hand into work, not knowing just how much their lives were about to change.

…..

Clarissa was busy making the morning coffees when she spotted them.

"Hello strangers! How was Cornwall?"

"Heavenly" replied Nikki.

"Was alright" smirked Jack "Ow, Nikki!"

Nikki chortled to herself as she went to hang her jacket up, Jack still rubbing his arm.

"We want to hear all about it" said Thomas, poking his head around his office door, hearing all the commotion.

"Help me with these?" Clarissa gestured to the mugs on the tray.

"I'll get them" offered Jack, "Just going to turn my computer on I'll catch you up"

…..

Conversation between the four on the sofas flowed as usual, so much so they didn't notice another individual enter their scientific haven.

"Did you get Nikki surfing?" Thomas asked.

"Good question" answered Jack, "Define surfing"

"Hey!" retorted Nikki "I tried. I failed but I did try"

"I'll give you that" said Jack, over Thomas and Clarissa laughing.

"I wiped out quite hard, then decided that dry land with Meg was a lot more my style" said Nikki of her and Jack's black Labrador.

"She must have been in her element" said Clarissa.

"She was" agreed Jack.

"We all were" said Nikki, placing her hand over Jack's and giving it a squeeze.

The forensic four where interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Sorry to interrupt" said a kindly looking lady with bright red hair. She had an air of nervousness about her.

"Jenny, what brings you over to our neck of the woods this morning?" asked Thomas "We don't have any cases your working on at the minute do we?"

"No, you're right, Thomas" she said "It's…it's actually Jack that I've come to see"

"Me?" questioned a puzzled looking Jack. Everyone else appearing equally confused with the current situation.

"Yes. Could I have a quick word with you in private?"

….

"Jesus what's happening in there? They've been talking for ages" said a worried looking Nikki.

"Relax, Nikki" said Clarissa, "It's probably just an old case of Jacks has cropped up again or something along those lines that's all"

"Clearly her ears are burning" stated Thomas, walking over to them as Jenny opened the door to the boardroom. She looked concerned as she approached the three of them.

"Nikki, he wants" she corrected herself "He needs to see you"

"What is it?" said an alarmed Nikki "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, so to speak. Nikki, just go and see him while I talk to Thomas and Clarissa please" said Jenny firmly but sincerely.

Nikki obeyed her instructions and she didn't know why, but she was nervous. As she entered, she saw Jack with his head in his hands leaning over a piece of paper on the table.

"Jack?"

He turned around to face her and for once, she couldn't quite tell how he was feeling.

"Is everything ok?" asked a concerned Nikki.

He lifted up the piece of paper and handed it to her "Read it" ordered Jack "And sit down before you do"

_Jack,_

_I am so sorry. There is nobody on earth that could support how I have treated you but please here me out. If this letter has reached you, the unthinkable has happened and I have nowhere else to turn. Her name is Martha and she is perfect. _

_Each month and year passed after she was born and I couldn't bring up the courage to contact you. I tried to, so many times, but no matter what I could never find the right words to say. Nothing excuses my behaviour – it was selfish and unfair to keep her from you for such a long time. I have pancreatic cancer: stage 4. I have made peace with it but I have not made peace with what will happen to her after I am gone. My mum is getting older and who really knows how long they will have to share together?_

_You are an intelligent man, Jack, and will already know what I am asking you to do. I just hope you can forgive me and give her the loving home that she needs to thrive. I know I certainly do not deserve it but she deserves to get to know you and you deserve a lifetime to get to know her. _

_Annie_

"Shit" said Nikki.

"She's ten" said a visibly shocked Jack.

"She's ten?!" repeated Nikki whilst rereading the letter "How did you know her mum?"

"I knew her when we were kids back home. Last time I saw her was at a school reunion in Belfast" answered Jack, "10 years ago"

"My god, Jack"

"Annie died in October and her mother died a few weeks ago in her sleep. She, Martha, has been living with Annie's best friend since, but she has four children of her own and can't take care of her permanently"

"Where had they been living?" asked Nikki.

"Battersea" replied Jack, rising from his seat "She's been so close this whole time and I never knew a thing about her"

Jack was starting to look increasingly angry "Does Martha know about you?" asked Nikki tentatively.

"Jenny said that she does but that she isn't sure how long she has known for" answered Jack.

They sat in silence for a while. A slightly different type of silence than this morning, it was tense and unfamiliar to both.

"You need to go home" ordered Nikki, "I'll chat to Thomas and Clarissa" she suggested, rising from her chair. She could tell Jack wasn't in the mood for talking to anyone.

"Come with me?" pleaded Jack, staring out the window.

"Jack, you know as well as I do that Thomas can't be a pathologist and a forensic scientist down this week. He already gave us the whole weekend"

Jack made to interrupt and protest but Nikki silenced him by lifting his hands into hers and took charge of the situation.

"Now I know these circumstances are exceptional, but we might need more time off down the line and I think you need a bit of time to yourself to process everything you've just been told. Now go home and I will be there as soon as I can"

She reached up and kissed him goodbye "I love you"

"Love you too" replied Jack before leaving Nikki inside the room still completely shocked to the core.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Nikki worked on autopilot for most of the day and practically raced out of the door at the close of play. She hadn't stopped thinking about Jack and what this news meant for them. She knew how she felt about the situation, but it would be harder to get it out of him.

"Take care of him, Nikki" said Clarissa, as Nikki leant forward to give her a huge hug.

"Always"

….

As usual, she was enthusiastically greeted by Meg at the door. After Meg felt she had been sufficiently welcomed, she trotted off, leaving Nikki to figure out where Jack may be. She knew instantly. He had stopped his fighting soon after he started going out with her – Jack knew she didn't like it but Nikki had come up with a compromise for him and installed some gym equipment in one of their spare rooms.

She watched him battle the punchbag for a while before he eventually noticed her.

"Creep" said Jack, turning around to face her, panting and sweating profusely.

"Happy to creep" she declared holding her hands up in surrender.

"If Annie hadn't been sick was she ever going to tell me? I would never have known about Martha, would I? Ten years. Why did she do that to me? I didn't deserve that I did nothing to her. Why did she keep her from me?" he continuously questioned.

"I don't know why you're asking me this, Jack"

"What if Martha thinks I didn't want her?" said Jack looking forlorn.

"You have all the time in the world to explain your side of the story to her" offered Nikki.

"10 years though, Nikki, how could she do that to a person?" argued Jack.

"I don't think you can afford to think like this, Annie must have had her own reasons, Jack, we will never know for sure"

"Why are you defending her?"

"I'm not defending her, I'm simply"

"It sounds like you are, Nikki, of all the people"

"Because all that doesn't matter anymore, Jack!" shouted Nikki.

"You can't keep thinking about what could have been. You are about to take care of your probably very frightened and scared ten year old daughter who has lost two of the most important people in her life in the space of about six months. So you need to get ready whether you like it or not"

Jack was clearly taken aback by Nikki's outburst. He had nothing to say in return.

"Now 10 years is a long time, I get that" agreed Nikki, speaking in a calmer manner, "But it's all Annie got and she isn't getting any more so I think you need to remember that" said Nikki, closing the door behind her.

…

He found her drying her hair with a towel on the edge of their bed.

"I'm sorry" apologised Jack, "I was being an idiot. It's just a lot to take in for a Monday" he said sitting down beside her.

"I know" said Nikki, resting her head on his shoulder. He loved the smell of her shampoo. Coconut – it was intoxicating to him.

"You didn't ask for any of this Nikki. It's a lot. It'll be hard. I understand if you" began Jack.

"I know it will, but I'm not going anywhere. I want you and anything that is a part of you sounds good to me"

Jack hugged her closer to him.

"I don't deserve you"

"I know" joked Nikki causing Jack to laugh.

"How do we do this?"

"What?" asked a confused looking Nikki.

"Eh I don't know parent a ten year old girl who has never met either of us before"

"Start with the basics I guess and work from there?" suggested Nikki.

"But what are the basics?" countered Jack.

"I don't really know" confessed Nikki, "I don't think anyone really does. All I know is that if we give her the loving home that Annie said she needed to thrive we won't be too far off"

"Why are you so clever its annoying" stated Jack.

Nikki was mid yawn when Jack placed his finger in her mouth.

"Hey!" said Nikki, giving him a playful shove before making her way over to her dressing table.

Jack went into a bit of a daze, before looking up at Nikki, mid-way through taking off her make up.

"I wonder what Leo would make of all of this. What he would make of us?"

Nikki went into her own little world for a moment and smiled "We haven't spoken about him in a while. I'm happy, so he would be too"

"What about me? Does my happiness not matter?" asked Jack, pretending to act offended.

"No not really" laughed Nikki.

"What did Thomas and Clarissa say?" he asked, getting ready for bed.

"He said to take as much time as you need. She told me to take care of you" answered Nikki, falling into bed, "So the usual"

"I don't even know who she looks like, what she is like" chattered Jack nervously, climbing in beside her.

"It's been a long day, Jack, I think you need to try and get some sleep" said Nikki, turning off her bedside lamp. Jack swiftly followed.

"You need a shower in the morning" said Nikki sleepily.

"I know"

A calm silence followed, the comfortable kind that only really happens just before you fall asleep.

"What if she doesn't like me?" whispered Jack, not really expecting a Nikki reply.

One word made its way through the dark in reply.

"Impossible"


End file.
